Robert Schaefer, longtime music director of St. James Catholic Cathedral in Orlando, lost his job Thursday after accusations of sexual abuse surfaced from his past.
His dismissal or resignation — the Catholic Diocese of Orlando was not clear — came after members of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a support group for victims of clergy, delivered a letter to St. James Cathedral, asking for Schaefer's removal.
In a statement, Diocese of Orlando spokeswoman Carol Brinati said the music director admitted to the abuse when confronted by diocese officials.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-st-james-music-director-schaefer-o20110317,0,7673591.story
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
TN Priest accused of ‘raping’ 3-year-old girl
KANCHEEPURAM: In an incident that would jolt the consciousness of the faithful, a Hindu priest has been accused of “raping” a three-year-old girl within the premises of the Theenpanji Amman Koil on Lingeshwarar Street at the temple town here on Friday evening.Kancheepuram town was outraged when it woken up on Saturday to the unconfirmed news of the young gurukkal, Devarajan (28) who was accused of sexually fondling the tiny tot, who lives next to the small temple.
http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu/tn-priest-accused-of-%E2%80%98raping%E2%80%99-3-year-old-girl/253783.html
http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu/tn-priest-accused-of-%E2%80%98raping%E2%80%99-3-year-old-girl/253783.html
Accused priest suspended from duties
A priest who once served in Lacey and Tacoma was removed from public ministry after an unidentified South Sound man made accusations last week of what his lawyer called improper sexual touching on more than one occasion at least 25 years ago.
Former priest target of suits files for bankruptcy
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP) - A former Roman Catholic priest accused in lawsuits of molesting boys has filed for bankruptcy.
The Post-Tribune reports that Richard Emerson filed for bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Georgia on Feb. 24. The Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing lists five pending civil lawsuits to which Emerson is a party. They stem from accusations from his time as a priest in northwest Indiana and Orlando, Fla.
http://www.dailymail.com/ap/ApWorld/201103160491
The Post-Tribune reports that Richard Emerson filed for bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Georgia on Feb. 24. The Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing lists five pending civil lawsuits to which Emerson is a party. They stem from accusations from his time as a priest in northwest Indiana and Orlando, Fla.
http://www.dailymail.com/ap/ApWorld/201103160491
Hindu priest accused of abducting kids in India
NEW DELHI -- The priest's dream, police say, was a chain of Hindu worship centers across India, where boys in saffron robes would attract throngs of devotees.
They were also supposed to attract donations. Lots of donations.
So the priest, Prem Dass, kidnapped boys as young as 10 years old, most of them from impoverished families living in Hindu pilgrimage towns, and brought them to New Delhi where he was training them to be preachers, according to police.
"He went after the vulnerable," said Deputy Commissioner of Police H.G.S. Dhaliwal. "He thought that if he had child 'godmen,' then followers would flock to him and he'd be rich." The 50-year-old priest, who insists he is innocent, was arrested earlier this month after one of the boys managed to telephone for help. Five boys were freed.
http://www.seattlepi.com/national/1104ap_as_india_kidnapper_priest.html
They were also supposed to attract donations. Lots of donations.
So the priest, Prem Dass, kidnapped boys as young as 10 years old, most of them from impoverished families living in Hindu pilgrimage towns, and brought them to New Delhi where he was training them to be preachers, according to police.
"He went after the vulnerable," said Deputy Commissioner of Police H.G.S. Dhaliwal. "He thought that if he had child 'godmen,' then followers would flock to him and he'd be rich." The 50-year-old priest, who insists he is innocent, was arrested earlier this month after one of the boys managed to telephone for help. Five boys were freed.
http://www.seattlepi.com/national/1104ap_as_india_kidnapper_priest.html
Guilty pleas entered for $1.5 million theft from church
He represents 69 year old Barbara Whitt, who was a secretary at First Baptist Church of Morristown.
She and her son, 43 year old Michael Whitt, admitted in court Friday that they schemed to steal money from the church's checking account; a total of $1,514,593 during two and a half years.
"We're hopeful that the religious community that has suffered in this case will be able to recoup at least some perhaps if not all of the funds, "Hindman said.
"This is not our money, but it was God's money. And so we feel like we have a responsibility to try to retrieve it," Pastor Dean Haun said back in May. He was out of town Friday.
http://www.wbir.com/news/article/157640/2/Guilty-pleas-entered-for-15-million-theft-from-church
She and her son, 43 year old Michael Whitt, admitted in court Friday that they schemed to steal money from the church's checking account; a total of $1,514,593 during two and a half years.
"We're hopeful that the religious community that has suffered in this case will be able to recoup at least some perhaps if not all of the funds, "Hindman said.
"This is not our money, but it was God's money. And so we feel like we have a responsibility to try to retrieve it," Pastor Dean Haun said back in May. He was out of town Friday.
http://www.wbir.com/news/article/157640/2/Guilty-pleas-entered-for-15-million-theft-from-church
Avenging Altar Boy
Even with a global scandal that never seems to stop disgorging disgusting stories, the Philadelphia grand jury report is especially sordid.
It tells the story of a fifth-grade altar boy at St. Jerome School given the pseudonym Billy. Father Engelhardt plied him with sacramental wine and pulled pornographic magazines out of a bag in the sacristy and told the child it was time “to become a man,” the report says.
A week later, after Billy served an early Mass, the report states that Engelhardt instructed him to take off his clothes and perform oral sex on him. Then the priest told the boy he was “dismissed.”
“After that, Billy was in effect passed around to Engelhardt’s colleagues,” the report says. “Father Edward Avery undressed with the boy, told him that God loved him,” and then had him perform sex. “Next was the turn of Bernard Shero, a teacher in the school. Shero offered Billy a ride home but instead stopped at a park, told Billy they were ‘going to have some fun,’ took off the boy’s clothes, orally and anally raped him and then made him walk the rest of the way home.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/opinion/16dowd.html
It tells the story of a fifth-grade altar boy at St. Jerome School given the pseudonym Billy. Father Engelhardt plied him with sacramental wine and pulled pornographic magazines out of a bag in the sacristy and told the child it was time “to become a man,” the report says.
A week later, after Billy served an early Mass, the report states that Engelhardt instructed him to take off his clothes and perform oral sex on him. Then the priest told the boy he was “dismissed.”
“After that, Billy was in effect passed around to Engelhardt’s colleagues,” the report says. “Father Edward Avery undressed with the boy, told him that God loved him,” and then had him perform sex. “Next was the turn of Bernard Shero, a teacher in the school. Shero offered Billy a ride home but instead stopped at a park, told Billy they were ‘going to have some fun,’ took off the boy’s clothes, orally and anally raped him and then made him walk the rest of the way home.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/opinion/16dowd.html
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